Improvement in the manufacture of in di a-rubber shoes



UNiTEE STATES PATENT BEIGE,

GEORGE H. FOWLER, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent lfio. 54,883, dated May 22, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. FOWLER, of the city and county of New Haven, in the State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Elastic and Ventilating India-Rubber Overshoes, &c.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construciion, character, and operation of the same.

My improvement consists in making the shoe of three tlllOkllOSSOS-4ZO wit, one of napped or furry wooleuet or other analogous substance, one of plain or smooth oottonet or other analogous substance, and one of india' rubber-4n such a manner that the india-rubher will retain its elasticity and smoothness,

while the nap or pile on the wooleuet will allow of ventilation, as well as tend to keep the feet warm. i

I coat the plain or smooth side of the wooleuet with india-rubber or cement, and coat both sides of the plain oottonet, so that it will adhere to both the wooleuet lining and to the india-rubber outside or external part. I then make up the shoe by fitting the wooleuet onto the last, both as sole and uppers, with the napped, furry, or piled side toward the last. I then fit on the oottonet, which, by reason of the rubber or cement, will adhere to the plain or smooth surface of the wooleuet lining, and forms on its outer side a plain or smooth surface, on which I fit the imlia-rubber (sole and uppers) in the usual way. I then subjectthe whole to heat in the vulcanizing-oven, and finish the shoe in the usual way, when it will exhibit all of the yielding and elastic character due to the india-rubber, and possess the ventilating principle and warmth which are due to the napped or shaggy wooleuet.

If the mapped wooleuet lining is omitted,

the benefit of the ventilation is not secured, and if the plain oottonet is omitted a smooth surface cannot be given to the outer surface of the india-rubber, as it will conform to the inequalities of the napped or shaggy surface of the wooleuet; but with the plain oottonet between the wooleuet lining and the india rubber outside I can make as neat and smooth a finish as though the napped or furry woolenet had not been used, and as both the cot tonet and wooleuet are elastic I preserve all of the yielding and elastic character of the india-rubber.

Instead of the napped wooleuet I may use any other analogous substance for the venti lating-lining which is knit or woven so loosely as to possess the elasticity, and has a nap or pile on one side sufficient for insuring suitable ventilation; and instead of the plain oottonet- I may use any other fabric which is sufficiently smooth and elastic; but I prefer the napped wooleuet and plain oottonet, as before described. And instead of putting on the three thicknesses separately, any two or all three of them may be put together and then put onto the last 5 but I prefer putting each part on separately, as before described.

WVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The napped wooleuet or its equivalent, in combination with the oottonet or its equivalent and the india-rubber, for making an elastic ventilating-shoe, when they are prepared, fitted together, and finished substantially as herein described.

GEORGE H. FOWLER.

Witnesses:

A. LE TRAIN, R. FITZGERALD. 

